by Rebecca Blackwell DrakeA first- hand account of the Battle of Raymond written by Thomas. B.
Riggin,
a member of Hall's Scouts, a state company, who patrolled the Utica-Raymond road
the night before the battle.

On May 12, 1863, the night before the
Battle of Raymond, General McPherson’s advanced guards were located at
“Magnolia Vale,” six miles from Raymond. The area was known as
Fairchild’s Crossing since the Utica-Raymond road connected to the
Oakley-Crystal Springs road in front of the Fairchild residence. Today
the historic home is owned by Reuben and Sue Lott.

In May 1863, as the word spread around Raymond that the
dreaded “Yankees” were coming, everyone rallied to support the cause.
The spirit of patriotism was exhibited not only by the women of Raymond
who were busy knitting socks and making flags for the soldiers, but also
by teenage boys who wanted to enter the army but were under the age of
enlistment. One of the youngsters determined to do his part was Thomas
Riggin, whose family lived two miles from Learned. Riggin traveled to
Raymond and joined Hall’s Scouts, a local company comprised of underage
boys who volunteered to serve for ninety days.

The organizer and commander of Hall’s Scouts was Robert
N. Hall, a lawyer from Raymond whose father, Howell Hall, owned the Oak
Tree Hotel. Hall, age twenty-two, was a seasoned soldier and a local
hero. In 1861, when the war broke out, he joined the Raymond Fencibles,
later Co. C. of the 12th Mississippi Infantry, and left for Virginia. He
achieved the rank of sergeant but his military career ended suddenly
after losing an arm during the Battle of Seven Pines. Many of the
soldiers from Raymond were killed at Seven Pines. Others, such as Cade
Gillespie, suffered injuries but remained in the war. Unable to continue
fighting in the war with his catastrophic injury, Hall was forced to
return home.

After returning to Raymond, Hall listened anxiously for
news of the war. In early May 1863, he was alarmed when he heard that U.
S. Grant and his army of 24,000 soldiers had disembarked at Bruinsburg
Landing and were marching inland. Fearing that the war might come to
Raymond, Hall organized the local teenagers to serve not only as a home
guard but also as scouts. The boys who served under his command referred
to him as “Captain Hall.”

Riggin, a 17-year-old seeking to avenge the death of his
brother who was killed at Shiloh, recalled the day he took the oath and
left for war: “Being sworn in as a soldier, I felt that I must soon
leave my home and Mother, Sisters, younger brother and my pets such as
boys usually have on a farm, and all to be over-run by an enemy. But,
bidding my homefolks goodbye, I mounted my faithful buggy horse, Dan,
and with my brother’s shotgun, and haversack filled with home-cooked
food, I felt I was a real soldier.”

Hall’s Scouts first encountered the enemy on May 9, when
they met the advanced guard of General McPherson’s XVII Corps in Utica.
Three days later, on the night of May 12, Hall’s Scouts patrolled the
Utica-Raymond road looking for signs of the approaching enemy. They
discovered that the enemy had set up pickets at Fairchild’s Crossing,
approximately five miles east of Raymond. The Confederates set up their
pickets four miles out - along a lane now known as Lewis Road. Riggin
never forgot the night before the Battle of Raymond and spoke of it on
Memorial Day 1909, at the forty-sixth anniversary commemorating the
Battle of Raymond: "An opportunity soon presented itself to join the
army. R. N. Hall of Raymond who was discharged from the Virginia Army
after losing his arm, raised a company of volunteers to serve ninety
days, composed of the boys around the country and a few discharged
soldiers".

"On the night of the 11th, the enemy camped near the
Fairchild place about five miles from Raymond. Our camp was in the woods
in front of the John McNeil place four miles from Raymond. Their advance
picket was the [Oakley and Raymond] crossroad in front of the Fairchild
residence. Ours was at the corner of Jim Dennis'; fence at the east end
of the lane [Lewis road]. We kept watch, two at the time, two hours on
duty. At 2 o'clock on the morning of 12th of May, 1863, Will Osborn and
I were relieved by Cal Williams and Jesse Clower. About the time we
reached camp, our pickets fired on the enemy who had advanced from their
post. Our company of about thirty being aroused by the firing of the
pickets, formed a line at the [Selman] school house. Skirmishing soon
commenced which led to the heroic battle of Raymond.

Map showing the
locations of the Union and Confederate camps and pickets. Riggin was later stationed on a hill overlooking the Port Gibson Road
to look out for signs of a Union advance from the west.

Map by James
Drake

“Our company was carried out on the left flank and Capt.
Hall selected me as a special picket to watch the Raymond road, placing
me on an elevated spot near the top of the sand hill a few hundred yards
from the cemetery, where I had a full view of the Port Gibson road at
the Heard Place [located west of the intersection on the Port Gibson and
Utica-Raymond road.] I was told to remain there until relieved unless I
saw the enemy coming up the road and then I was to report to him.

“The batteries of Yankees were placed on the high hill
near the McDonald place and opened fire on Raymond. I found myself in a
direct line while their batteries and the large oak tree I was under was
being torn by the shells. I thought of course, they were shooting at me
and I moved a little down where I could see just as well; it was a good
thing I did for the large oak was soon torn to pieces by the shells.

“This was the most trying time of my life. The battle was
raging to my left, only hid from view by the small timber, the roar of
musketry and the booming of the cannon, and the groans of the wounded
that were being carried to the rear made me feel that none would be left
to tell the tale…..I felt that day was lost and that I had been
forgotten. I thought of the duty of a soldier. I could not leave my post
without orders; took courage by thinking of the boy that stood on the
burning deck, when all but him had fled, when to my joy I heard the
familiar voice of Capt. Hall saying, ‘Come on Riggin, the day is lost
and we will be captured unless we hurry’.

“Our army had been outflanked by superior numbers after
as fierce a conflict as took place during the war. Our army retreated
toward Jackson and Hall’s Scouts followed in the rear. This ended my
experience with the battle of Raymond but not with the war. After
serving our ninety days with Capt. Hall we were discharged to go back to
our homes as most of us were under conscript age. But we had realized
that even seventeen year old boys could in some respects fill the place
of full grown soldiers.”

Following the Battle of Raymond, Thomas Riggin signed
with Harvey’s Scouts and participated in the Meridian Campaign.
Afterwards, he returned home to the family farm near Learned where,
years later, he was ordained as a deacon in Harmony (Learned) Baptist
Church. Riggin passed away on July 28, 1915, and was buried in the Salem
Baptist Church Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and seven children. Riggin’s first hand account of
Hall’s Scouts and their actions the night
before the Battle of Raymond is the only known account of this phase of
the battle.

Robert Hall, Riggin’s commander, resumed the practice of
law and was named a probate judge under Governor Benjamin Humphrey’s
administration (1865-1868). He joined the law firm of S. M. Shelton of
Vicksburg. In 1867, Robert’s sister, Rosa Hall, married Lt. Charles
“Savvy” Read, the Confederate Naval hero whose daring exploits earned
him the reputation of being the “Seawolf of the Confederacy.” In a
manner of speaking, the Halls could boast of having two Confederate
heroes in their family. Later in life, Hall retired from the practice of
law and was ordained as a Baptist preacher. The old Confederate veteran
spent the final years of his life living and preaching in McComb.

Historic source: Letter to the Editor, Hinds County Gazette, 1904;
“Battle of Raymond” by T. B. Riggin from the Hinds County Gazette, 1909;
and the Obituary of Thomas Benton Riggin from the Hinds County Gazette,
1915. Old newspaper clippings courtesy of Pattie Adams Snowball.